This is not about winning a gold medal. It is about trying to win, and the people who believe that you can. It's a corny feel-good tale, but it's true. And one that could make you cry and smile all in the same minute.

We board the bus from the Village and ride around 40 minutes to our venue, Lee Valley Whitewater Center. I consider the Olympic whitewater venue to be one of the best, if not the best, in the world at the moment.

Will I cheer for the USA Team in Chinese clothing? Of course I will but it makes a cynical statement about the future of manufacturing in the USA. But, Americans, it's time to take the reins and call in our own financial cavalry. We are losing this competition.

It has been a long seven years working towards this -- being the last one cut from the eight in 2008, again in 2009, working through injuries in 2010 and 2011, and then the ups and downs of selection this year.

I don't mean to disparage the '92 Dream Team, but you've got to think about it. What kind of point differential would there have been in 1960 if NBA players were allowed to compete and that Olympic team started Robertson, Cousy, Baylor, Chamberlain and Russell?